Museo Civico Archeologico
Museo Civico Archeologico
4
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
The Civic Archaeological Museum of Bologna is located in the heart of the city, inside Palazzo Galvani, close to Piazza Maggiore and the Church of San Petronio. The first construction of this building dated back to the XV century. Modifications and renovations continued up to 1881, when it was definitively opened to the public as a Museum.You can reach the Museum using any bus that runs through Piazza Maggiore. This museum is among the most important in archeological finds in Italy and is highly representative of the local history from prehistoric period to Roman Age. Additionally, its ancient Egyptian collection is among the most important in Europe. Opening hours Tue-Fri: 9AM-3PM Sat, Sun and holidays: 10AM - 6,30PM Closed on Monday,New Year's day, 1st of May,Christmas Day. Admittance Ordinary ticket: Euro 5 (visitors 19-65 years old); Reduced Euro 3; Children and youngs (0-18): free Access for disabled visitors Bookshop Audioguides and QR code Specialized library with a reading lounge. Historic archive (available for consultation with an appointment) Photographic archive (available for consultation with appointment or by written request) Wardrobe: visitors are not allowed to enter in the Museum with bags, umbrellas and other large objects. It is possible to put personal effects inside appropriate boxes with keys. The wardrobe doesn't accept large cases or packs. Bookings are obligatory only for groups with a guide Standard photos, digital photos, videos and films are allowed but only without flash or other enlightening objects and exclusively for personal use and not for commercial purposes. Inside the Museum smoking, eating or drinking are not allowed.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
541 reviews
Excellent
240
Very good
201
Average
73
Poor
18
Terrible
9
Andy B
Belo Horizonte, MG596 contributions
Mar 2016 • Solo
I absolutely loved this museum. It is big and, yet, not-so-big, distributed on three levels, easy to wander through for hours, and jam-packed with rare, priceless artifacts. Yes, most of the displays either don't have much written information or only have it in Italian, but, without much knowledge, one can still understand the general ideas and concepts of the items being presented. Its Egyptian collection is fantastic and quite large, which is surprising, considering that this is a civic museum, mostly funded by local government. Congratulations to the City of Bologna, for that! I plan on being back.
Written November 6, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LozzaJLondon
London101 contributions
Apr 2019 • Family
We made a quick trip to the museum on a rainy day with our two young kids. Only part of the museum was open as they are renovating at the moment, but it was super cheap. The best bit was the ancient Egypt section, which for a quick visit was pretty impressive. The kids thought it was fun too.
Written April 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thrust v
Prague, Hlavni Mesto Praha, Czech Republic85 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
In Italy, you get used to: roman artefacts are just a litter on streets - you walk through Rome, trip over some rock and find out it is not a rock, it is a nose of a statue of Marcus Aurelius, but whatever... Medieval things are so common, they have them on display on streets - you go to a hotel and see a suit of armor, go to a restaurant and see a mace or a sword... And if there are not roman things, there are etruscan, piceno, sabino, etc. You'll get sick of it so quickly... But what can you do when it is 41°C outside and 80% humidity? You go to a airconned museum. We went there just to cool off and found a gem. Firstly, the entry is 6€. That is fairly low considering other museums in major Italian cities. Like in Florence, there is a flat rate for museums 10€... But here, 6€, well, great! Then we heard "you can start left, with our EGYPTIAN exposition"... EXCUSE ME?! Did you say EGYPTIAN?! Was my reaction. Surely there are just some few unimportant and badly preserved artifacts, this is Bologna in the end, not really known for their rich EGYPTIAN exposition... But no. We were AMAZED when we saw it. It is not big, but it is beautiful and rich. There are frescoes, statuettes, pergamens in demotic and hieroglyfic writing, there are mummies, coffins, canopic jars, amulets, etc, etc. The collection goes as far as the old kingdom. I was not expecting such a collection from some civic museum in Bologna(not really a tourist center of Italy, I was pleased when I got off the train from Florence, compared to it there is just negligible number of tourists in Bologna) for just 6€! And we also saw some Etruscan collection and a portion of it was closed off but I don't care! I saw the EGYPTIAN exhibition, my heart of lover of ancient egypt was pleased and I was fully satisfied just with this exhibition alone.
Written August 5, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa M
Gold Coast5 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
I was really surprised at the depth of these collections. Including Egyptian, Etruscian and Roman artifacts and more.
It was well worth the visit.
It was well worth the visit.
Written May 3, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Inez M
Dublin, Ireland68 contributions
Oct 2016 • Friends
I'd echo other traveler's sentiments about the collections being displayed in an old-fashioned way but there are several interesting artifacts in this museum.
Of the quirkier objects...in the Egyptian collection, there's a display of a cat coffin & several cat mummies. The rescued Frescos are beautiful if a little faded. There are also fully intact Etruscan burial sites. And of course, the medieval art collection is fantastic.
The real pity is the lack of English translations and also, the lack of context applied to the many objects and collections. There were many English-speaking tourists there at the time and you can see that the museum has a wonderful range of objects from all ages, but it doesn't really come to life when you have to speculate yourself as to why one display case is more significant than another. One area was sealed off and only a few people allowed in at a time. I had no idea what the exclusivity was all about because all the notices were in Italian and I didn't recognise most of the names. Such a pity and a missed opportunity generally to impress tourists with the works. The museum did explain that there are in the process of translating all the signage which is a good step forward.
Despite my unfavorable notes above, don't let the lack of English signage put you off going there.Visually some of the art can be enjoyed without too much backstory.
For kids there are a few play areas themed around the different eras. And there is a lift from the 1st (or ground floor) to the basement (or ground floor in Italy) which houses the Egyptian collection. There's also a small bookstore in the building. The staff at reception were also super helpful.
For those needing a pick-me-up before or after their museum visit, there is the absolutely sublime, historic Mercato di Mezzo (two entrances, on Via Clavature and Via Pescherie Vecchie). There are several food stands offering the local specialties: fresh pasta, platters of local salumi (cold cuts) and cheeses, accompanied by piadine and tigelle (typical breads of the area), wines from the Enoteca Regionale Emilia-Romagna, craft beer, gourmet sandwiches, coffee and cake. It gets crowded but the food is absolutely worth the wait and very reasonably priced. Otherwise, you can just stand at a counter and enjoy an espresso and sweet treat like a local!
Of the quirkier objects...in the Egyptian collection, there's a display of a cat coffin & several cat mummies. The rescued Frescos are beautiful if a little faded. There are also fully intact Etruscan burial sites. And of course, the medieval art collection is fantastic.
The real pity is the lack of English translations and also, the lack of context applied to the many objects and collections. There were many English-speaking tourists there at the time and you can see that the museum has a wonderful range of objects from all ages, but it doesn't really come to life when you have to speculate yourself as to why one display case is more significant than another. One area was sealed off and only a few people allowed in at a time. I had no idea what the exclusivity was all about because all the notices were in Italian and I didn't recognise most of the names. Such a pity and a missed opportunity generally to impress tourists with the works. The museum did explain that there are in the process of translating all the signage which is a good step forward.
Despite my unfavorable notes above, don't let the lack of English signage put you off going there.Visually some of the art can be enjoyed without too much backstory.
For kids there are a few play areas themed around the different eras. And there is a lift from the 1st (or ground floor) to the basement (or ground floor in Italy) which houses the Egyptian collection. There's also a small bookstore in the building. The staff at reception were also super helpful.
For those needing a pick-me-up before or after their museum visit, there is the absolutely sublime, historic Mercato di Mezzo (two entrances, on Via Clavature and Via Pescherie Vecchie). There are several food stands offering the local specialties: fresh pasta, platters of local salumi (cold cuts) and cheeses, accompanied by piadine and tigelle (typical breads of the area), wines from the Enoteca Regionale Emilia-Romagna, craft beer, gourmet sandwiches, coffee and cake. It gets crowded but the food is absolutely worth the wait and very reasonably priced. Otherwise, you can just stand at a counter and enjoy an espresso and sweet treat like a local!
Written November 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
shel29Brooklyn
Brooklyn, NY126 contributions
Nov 2019
We saw the Egyptian exhibits, ancient artifacts and sculptures. They were really quite interesting, but there was very few English descriptions to help one's understanding. The sculpture exhibit had to do with ancient athletes, and offered more in the way of understanding. It's ok for a rainy day activity. If pottery is your thing, there was lots of that too.
Written November 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sachi Sharma
Phoenix, AZ139 contributions
Jul 2019 • Family
There is not much to see. Only 3 exhibitions are open (as of the time I went) and they are all mostly boring. The Egyptian exhibit was kind of cool, but the guard sitting in the building kept saying “shh” to us when we were quietly talking and no one else was even in the exhibit! It is a very empty museum. The Roman exhibit is not worth seeing at all, as the statues are nothing special. The prehistoric exhibit is boring as well and again there is nothing to see aside from a collection of rocks from every country. It might have been more interesting if there were English descriptions but there were none. Definitely not worth seeing, don’t waste your time.
Written July 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
redeco
Warren, MA9,297 contributions
Oct 2018 • Friends
The Museo Civico Archelogico is just that, a space dedicated to the many archeological wonders from Bologna's past. However, not only does the museum host a magnificent collection of artifacts and treasures, but it also has galleries dedicated to traveling exhibitions.
At the time of my visit, this museum was showing the celebrated Hiroshige and Hosukai exhibition that had most recently been at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibition was beautifully mounted, nicely lit, and I really was lucky to see it. Very fine.
It was unfortunate that I was on a schedule, and couldn't enjoy the permanent exhibitions in this museum as I had to depart for Venice. I hope to return one day to see the rest of the museum. Enjoy.
At the time of my visit, this museum was showing the celebrated Hiroshige and Hosukai exhibition that had most recently been at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibition was beautifully mounted, nicely lit, and I really was lucky to see it. Very fine.
It was unfortunate that I was on a schedule, and couldn't enjoy the permanent exhibitions in this museum as I had to depart for Venice. I hope to return one day to see the rest of the museum. Enjoy.
Written March 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CalBristol
Weston super Mare, UK2,155 contributions
Oct 2017 • Solo
When I went to pay for my ticket, the charming young lady at the reception desk advised me that the first floor of the museum was closed for renovation but the Roman Lapidarium on the ground floor and the Egyptian Collection in the basement were open and did I still want to buy my ticket? Well, being quite a fan of both the Egyptian and Roman civilisations, I went for it and I'm very glad I did!
I started off in the lovely courtyard examining the Roman artifacts, statuary and inscription tablets (information in English is a bit sparse!) and continued in the rather grand entrance hall. I then went down into the basement; the Egyptian artifacts are beautifully presented and lit, with descriptions in Italian and English although sometimes you have to search for them. I think it is one of the best collections I have seen and quite unexpected to find in Bologna! A bonus is being able to watch the experts painstakingly restoring a painted mummy case!
Perhaps on a future visit, the first floor renovations will be complete but knowing Italian renovations, I suspect that might be a few years in the future!
I started off in the lovely courtyard examining the Roman artifacts, statuary and inscription tablets (information in English is a bit sparse!) and continued in the rather grand entrance hall. I then went down into the basement; the Egyptian artifacts are beautifully presented and lit, with descriptions in Italian and English although sometimes you have to search for them. I think it is one of the best collections I have seen and quite unexpected to find in Bologna! A bonus is being able to watch the experts painstakingly restoring a painted mummy case!
Perhaps on a future visit, the first floor renovations will be complete but knowing Italian renovations, I suspect that might be a few years in the future!
Written November 5, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beverly H
Pasadena, CA82 contributions
Sep 2017 • Couples
Only the Egyptian wing of this museum was open when we were there. It is really well presented and their collection is well labeled and easy to view. Highly recommend it if this is of interest to you.
Written November 1, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
volevamo visitare il museo con la scuola; successivamente per fermarsi a mangiare qualcosa resta più vicino il parco della montagnola o i giardini margherita?
grazie.
Written April 30, 2019
In realtà la posizione del museo è tale da favorire entrambi i parchi. Consiglio fortemente i Giardini Margherita, piú puliti e belli da visitare.
Written May 1, 2019
Quanto tempo occorre per visitare il museo
Written October 14, 2017
un paio d'ore normalmente. Ora che il primo piano è chiuso per e sono aperti solo il lapidario e la sezione egiziana, un'oretta è sufficiente per farsi una buona idea del museo
Il biglietto è ridotto
Written October 16, 2017
Mi hanno detto che si può vedere in 3D ma basta dirlo al momento dell'acquisto biglietto?
Written May 26, 2017
Ci dispiace ma non è presente nessuna vista 3D del Museo civico Archeologico. Presso la nostra struttura potrà trovare alcuni punti potenziati dalla presenza di computer, il plastico digitale delle terme romane, alcune informazioni in cornice digitale sulle indagini effettuate su mummie animali egizie. Sono infine presenti oltre 100 punti qr, oltre ai tradizionali apparati didascaliche informativi.
Written June 14, 2017
Buongiorno vorrei sapere quanto tempo mediamente richiede la visita al Museo rispetto all' area Egizia?
Grazie saluti laura
Written February 7, 2016
Buongiorno, la visita alle collezioni del Museo Archeologico può richiedere da un paio a tre ore circa. Naturalmente dipende dall'attenzione che uno vuole dedicare alle singole collezioni. Ci sono i reperti dal territorio (la preistoria nel bolognese, Bologna etrusca, gallica, romana e lapidario) e le sale di collezione (saletta dei confronti preistorici, gipsoteca, collezione etrusco-italica, greca e romana). E' disponibile un'audioguida (a pagamento) e circa 100 punti accessibili gratuitamente con il QR code. Periodicamente vengono organizzate visite guidate: consiglio di consultar eil sito del museo per il calendario completo.
Written March 24, 2016
Buongiorno, vorrei sapere se ci sono strutture che possono ospitare due classi quarte per il pranzo al sacco dopo la visita al museo.
Grazie
Written January 8, 2016
Buongiorno, purtroppo il museo non dispone di spazi destinati al ristoro per le classi in visita, ma sono disponibili alcuni spazi attrezzati nelle vicinanze. Sul sito del museo alla pagina DIDATTICA troverà informazioni su tali strutture ricettive.
Un cordiale saluto
Written January 12, 2016
Salve,
posso chiedere più o meno i tempi per visitare la mostra? a me interesserebbe osservare tutti i capolavori per bene, quante ore più o meno ci vogliono?
grazie mille
Written December 11, 2015
Per visitare la mostra il tempo consigliato è circa di un paio d'ore, con l'ausilio dell'audioguida che è compresa nel biglietto. Lo stesso biglietto consente l'accesso anche alle collezioni permanenti del Museo. Anche per questa parte un paio d'ore sono il tempo indicativo per una visita approfondita.
Cordialmente
Lo staff del Museo
Written January 12, 2016
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